NNP-LD-BRIBERY

JOHANNESBURG

June 27

Sapa

NNP REJECTS BRIBERY CLAIMS

The New National Party has rejected reports that senior party officials solicited bribes from a property developer in Stellenbosch earlier this year.

"Even though we do not have any court documents in our possession, we reject any accusation or innuendo that we would have improperly influenced any decision-makers," said NNP MP's Andre Gaum and Francois Beukman in a statement on Sunday.

Francois Dercksen, director of C-Max Investments, has claimed his application to have a development project reconsidered was rejected after he refused to contribute R200,000 towards the NNP's election campaign, a Sunday paper reported. In a submission to the Cape High Court, Dercksen said he was originally assured by senior party officials that his application would be successful.

After he refused to pay the money, it was suddenly rejected. "I don't doubt that if I had agreed to pay the amount, the appeal would have been approved," he said. Originally, Gaum and Beukman had said it was not NNP policy to comment on party donations. However, the newspaper report had necessitated a response, they said on Sunday.

"We will be studying the statement made by Dercksen and comment further thereon, if necessary." Meanwhile the man who rejected Dercksen's application, former Minister of Environmental Affairs for the province Johan Gelderblom, also reacted strongly to the allegations. "Any accusations that I would have taken a decision not based on the merit of a matter is rejected with the contempt it deserves. Any such allegations will be referred to my legal advisors," he said in a statement on Sunday.

Sapa /sa 06/27/04 15-55